A wave of devastating storms that has ravaged California for a week could end on Monday with the worst of the storms as the last of the “wet fire hoses” sweep the state.
The National Weather Service said “atmospheric river events” will hit California early this week, with the strongest system expected to arrive on Monday. Additional rain on saturated soil will lead to flash floods, mudslides and debris flows, forecasters said.
Heavy snow in the mountains and gusty winds will add to the weather problems in the state, the report said.
“It could be a deadly situation and the storm could be a billion-dollar disaster,” AccuWeather meteorologist Ariella Scalese tweeted. “Several inches of rain, mudslides/landslides. In addition, the snow is over 6,500 feet high and the wind gusts are over 100 mph.”
DEATHS FOR CHILDREN:A 2-year-old boy is among the victims of the California storm
Latest developments:
► More than 440,000 homes and businesses were without power in California on Sunday.
►The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for northern and central California.
► Gov. Gavin Newsom will provide an update on the storm during a press conference Sunday afternoon.
POWER ON:California is scrambling to turn on the lights after the storm left thousands in the dark
How much rain and snow?
State climatologist Michael Anderson said officials are closely monitoring Monday’s storm and another storm behind it, as well as three other systems in the Pacific. Northern and central California could see 6 to 12 inches of rain through Wednesday, the weather service said.
According to AccuWeather, an additional 4 to 8 inches of rain could fall on much of the Coast Range as well as the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Isolated areas could get up to 14 inches, AccuWeather said. Monday’s storm is expected to bring a mix of heavy snow, high winds and deep, wet snow to the Sierra, leading to low-level flooding Monday and Tuesday, the weather service said.
An additional 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected in San Francisco. Over the past two weeks, downtown has received more than 11 inches of rain, six times the normal for that time. During this period, the city recorded its wettest 10-day period in more than 150 years.
Parts of Southern California will experience heavy rain Monday evening and Tuesday, with 1 to 2 inches of rain in the Los Angeles area and higher amounts locally, according to AccuWeather.
“The soil is rich”: The risk of flooding will increase in California as a result of weekend rain
Why could this storm be so destructive?
Forecasters at AccuWeather say that previous conditions could cause “extreme and historic levels” of damage from the upcoming storm. Those conditions included heavy rain on Sunday – thunderstorms in the Sacramento area dropped up to half an inch of rain per hour. Local flooding, gusty winds and thunderstorms are possible.
WHAT IS AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER?These rivers of water vapor can stretch for thousands of miles
The “relentless march of atmospheric rivers” that has hit the state in recent weeks has caused rivers to swell and saturate the ground. Nearly 10 feet of snow fell at Mammoth Ski Resort in the eastern Sierra, the National Weather Service said.
Fronts have been blamed for at least six deaths, authorities said.
The storms won’t be enough to officially end California’s ongoing drought, but they have helped, Anderson said.
Contributor: Associated Press
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